Episode 17: Feeding your audience
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:17:30 — 71.0MB)
This show we delve into podcast feeds (or RSS feeds for podcasts). We go under the bonnet to understand exactly what feeds are, how they are constructed and give you tips and tricks along the way to help you get the most out of your podcast feed. We also look at the differences between creating a feed yourself and using services like WordPress plug-ins that do it all for you automatically. We also look at the tricky black-magic of subscriber statistics and examine some tools you can use to find out how many people are subscribed and listening to your show.
In this show we answer your listener questions as well. If you have specific questions you have from this show or any of our others, then leave a comment on our blog at podcastersemporium.com or send an email to podcastersemporium@gmail.com and we will be happy to cover your question in a future show.
This episode of Podcasters’ Emporium was inspired by listener feedback from Joey Smith from Atlanta, GA in the United States – thanks as always for your feedback and suggestions.
ATTENTION SYDNEY PODCASTERS – WE ARE MEETING UP 10 JULY
If you are in or around Sydney, Australia this weekend 10 July 2009, we are having a Podcasters’ Emporium meetup at the Bavarian Bier Cafe at the Entertainment Quarter. For full details, check out this Upcoming.org invitation and put your name down on the list if you plan to join us. We’d love to see you there. On the night we will be discussing whether you’d like to have a separate Podcasters’ meetup with Dave Gray and James Williams on Sunday 12 July. So if you’re interested definitely join us!
Here’s what we mentioned in today’s show:
Services we mentioned in today’s show
Software we mentioned in today’s show:
- RSS Builder (free)
- MP3Tag English (free), MP3Tag Deutsch (free)
- AudioShell (free) XP Only
- Apple iTunes (free)
Podcasts we mentioned in today’s show:
Focus on Community Members
- @herne – Our Friendly Community Stalker!
- @marionvermazen – Marion Vermazen
- @gfiremark – Gordon Firemark
- @nebben – Ben’s Tech Show
Be a Part of the Podcasters’ Emporium Community!
- Please send us your feedback via Email
- Follow the hosts on twittter: Follow James and Dave
- Leave a comment here on the blog
- Follow show on Twitter (news and new shows only) Send us a Direct Message when you add us to twitter and let us know that you listen to the show.
- Send us Audio Feedback by email recorded at: 128kps at 44.100 khz
Podcasters’ Emporium is produced in conjunction with the Lifestyle PodNetwork. You’ll find more great podcasts like this one at LifestylePodNetwork.com. If you’d like to join the Lifestyle PodNetwork please contact us at talent@lifestylepodnetwork.com
I discovered your podcast only a few days ago.
Grrrreat podcast. Lots & lots of information and tips.
Thanks guys!
by Fred Zelders
on 06. Jul, 2009
Good stuff. Can someone explain what the hell is:
************
by Scratchy
on 06. Jul, 2009
Looks like a bunch of asterisks to me, Scratchy.
by Herne
on 06. Jul, 2009
Great show as usual guys.
1. Feedburner is a great proxy service, and thankfully it hasn’t collapsed under the weight of the google empire.
2. Re: file sizes: File size is the measure of the file in bytes. Size on Disk represents the bytes of storage allocated to store that file. The reason that the size on disk is different (and always larger) is that Windows (and other OS’s as well) read and write from the disk in blocks. Data written to the disk is aligned to these block boundaries to speed up the read/write speeds.
by Keith
on 06. Jul, 2009
Great show as always mates (to use the local lingo)!
Your passion for the craft is inspiring, and the new website looks great.
Keep it up, and we’ll keep listening.
by Scott Fuller
on 07. Jul, 2009
Quick aside guys… there is a way to get more accurate DOWNLOAD stats from Feedburner.
1. Publish a new show as usual.
2. If you’re signed up to track podcast download stats in the ‘Analytics’ section of Feedburner… Feedburner will take your media file and create a unique Feedburner tracker URL.
What I do then is copy that link, then re-link it in the original content. In other words, thescottfullershow.com/show.mp3 becomes http://feeedburner/... whatever the URL is.
By changing the actual URL, every aggrigator that pulls from the Feedburner feed will be tracked by Feedburner.
Hope that was clear, a screencast may be better.
by Scott Fuller
on 07. Jul, 2009
Thanks for the mention on your show. I’m putting together a promo just for your show. I’m even recording a voice comment for your show. Keep up the good work.
by Lucio Ourique
on 10. Jul, 2009
Tres bon show, listened on the TGV on my way to Paris. :)
What’s the deal with enhanced AAC files… I’ve only seen a couple of people use them so they have different artwork that shows in the iTunes window or on your iPod as the show progresses, so for example on this show you could have had the feedburner logo and a link to their site when you were talking about feedburner.
On the one hand they’re quite cool, but on the other the seem a lot of work and mostly I don’t look at the ipod screen anyway. What are your thoughts?
Ps: nice swanky new blog! :)
by Tom125
on 14. Jul, 2009
Great podcast – makes sense of all the mumbo jumbo. Thanks.
by Michael Collins
on 16. Jul, 2009
I’m sorry if this is not a good place to ask this question. I ran across your cast from a Google search and have listened to several shows – thanks!
I am (completely) new to podcasting. I purchased a book “Podcast Solutions” which has given me some good basic info.
Question: I have the following eqipment – an Audio Technica 3035 mic, a Yamaha MG8/2fx Mixer, a dbx 266XL compressor/gate, and an Edirol UA-1EX usb interface. I just can’t seem to get them wired/set-up correctly. I can record my voice on my PC, but the output is very quiet and the meter on the Mixer does not show my voice (lights) unless I really talk loud. Do you have any suggestions for a program/tutorial, etc. that could help me connect things correctly?
I have read all the manuals completely, but being total new to anything relating to audio, I do not understand exactly how to set this up.
Well, thanks to anyone who can have pity on me and point this newbie in the right direction(s).
Blessings!
by Chuck
on 17. Jul, 2009
Wow Lots of questions up on the comments, which we will endevour to answer on the next show. Great questions as well!
Chuck, my initial suggestion would be to ditch the dbx 266XL compressor/gate, see what the input sounds like. We have talked about compressors and gates before but will mention our feelings again on the next episode, but suffice to say they are not for the feint hearted at all. Personally I have never used one, I do everything in software as a part of my post production processing.
Check the output once you ditch the extra gear. The other thing is to ignore the lights on the mixer – totally irrelevant if you are inputting to a computer.
Finally – check out our episode on mixers and the one on Gain – both have great tips for choosing, setting up and getting the most out of your chosen equipment.
Hope that helps!
Tom – great question about enhanced podcasts and we will have a chat about them on the next episode, which is in the planning stage for the next week!
by Dave Gray
on 20. Jul, 2009
I wanted to leave a comment and say thank you for your work on the show. I found your show on i-tunes, and I will say I have picked up a lot of helpful tips.
So much so that I have started planning a podcast for the fall.
Keep up the Great work,
You guys have a great chemistry and it shows.
-Phil
by Philip J
on 23. Jul, 2009
Hey guys bens tech show told me to listen! I have just finished listen to all of your podcast. I have started a podcast called the 404 and you guys have given me so many tips. I have been looking around but there are no new episodes :( I hope you guys update soon.
by leon
on 16. Aug, 2009
Would be great if we had a forum where we could post questions and such. I found the show on iTunes, after producing my 3rd podcast. I want to move to a 2 mic setup with a mixing board, but at the moment I’m having to work with 2 headset mics being recorded using Skype. It’s working, but the quality isn’t where I want it to be.
It’s frustrating and I know a lot of the issues are going to be resolved when we move to a mixing board.
Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks for the great podcast. I’m learning a ton of information from them. I hope you continue. I have only gotten through the podcast on gain. But I plan on listening to them all.
by Steve Eason
on 17. Aug, 2009
Thanks for a great Podcast – After listening to all your episodes one after the other I got inspired, went ahead and got my account on Blue Host (trough your link) I hope you get at least a penny for that, Started my WordPress blog, installed the PodPress plug in and ordered a Rode Podcaster Mic with shock mount and all. (waiting for it)
Thanks for the inspirations and tips. I should have my own podcast soon.
Mike Esquivel (Panama – central america)
by Miguel (Mike) Esquivel
on 24. Aug, 2009
What’s happened guys? You’ve been quiet too long!
by Gordon
on 26. Aug, 2009
Thanks for the prompt Gordon! Don’t worry we are still here!! Planning a show this week.
Basically there have been a few circumstances that have conspired against us. We have not bailed or going anywhere any time soon.
We also really appreciate your comments and questions. I am stoked that what we are putting together is really helping people produce better podcasts and is hitting our target audience. Awesome, really is fantastic!
Some if these comments would be great iTunes reviews. Hint hint ;)
by Dave
on 07. Sep, 2009
[...] from Australia talking about podcasting and the particular episode on that is episode 17 called Feeding your audience which has great information not just about Feedburner, but RSS feeds in [...]
by The power of RSS for 21st century educators - Box of Tricks
on 06. Jan, 2010